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THE WEEKLY MISSIVE
MARCH 15, 2024
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We Rise Again!
Dear Friends,
For our first reading this weekend, we'll proclaim the entirety of Ezekiel 37:1-14, not just the lectionary's suggestion of verses 12-14.
Ezekiel has a vision of standing in a vast plain, filled with the bones of human skeletons. God tells Ezekiel that these bones represent all the people of Judah who said that their hope had been cut off. Through God's instructions, Ezekiel calls the Spirit back into the bones, and they rise like thunder and once again become living, enfleshed people. God promises to restore the grieving people.
God's promise seems immediate to us today! After facing the possibility for the past 4 weeks that the Paulist Fathers would need to withdraw from serving at the Paulist Center, we celebrate the good news that the Paulist Center will remain open for the foreseeable future! (You can learn about which foundations are impacted by the General Council's decisions in the Paulist Fathers' press release. Please pray especially for the employees of Paulist Evangelization Ministries and Landings International in Washington, DC, and for the employees & parishioners of Holy Spirit Parish / Newman Hall in Berkeley, CA.)
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Results of the General Council's Deliberations
Mar 16 & 17: Auction Table After Masses!
Mar 17: K-6 Parent Listening Session
Parallels Between St. Paul & St. Patrick
Mar 20: Reflection & Reconciliation Service
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Gathering As a Community
Getting Ready for Holy Week
Easter Flower Donations
- We Shall Rise Again!
- Upcoming Events
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Results of the General Council's Deliberations | |
As reported in an email sent by Fr. Rich on Weds, Mar 13, the Paulist Fathers remain committed to the Paulist Center! We are one of three small Paulist foundations that will go from being staffed by 2 active priests to being staffed by 1 active priest with the assistance of senior priests in residence. | |
This news leads to questions that we cannot answer yet. Will Fr. Rich continue as Director? Will Fr. Rick or someone else become the Director? We cannot say yet, but clearly our model of collaboration between priests, lay staff, and volunteers will be changing. The Paulists must have further conversations with many, many people before everything is finalized. Members of the Pastoral Staff and Pastoral Council will be available after each Mass this weekend to listen to your concerns, but they won't be able to provide many answers. | |
Image: The Raising of Lazarus - Rembrandt | |
Mar 16 & 17: Visit the Auction Table After Mass! | |
With more reasons than ever to celebrate, we hope you will join us for the 41st Annual Paulist Center Auction on Sat, Apr 27! Before then, you can support this important and fun community building event by donating items for the live or silent auction or becoming a financial sponsor. We also need people to help sell tickets in the lobby after each Mass. | | |
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Beginning this weekend, you can meet our volunteers at the Auction table in the elevator lobby after each Mass. The Auction table is your one-stop shop to become a financial sponsor, buy raffle or seat tickets, or donate! The prizes for the raffle this year are:
- 1st: $1,000 American Express gift card
- 2nd: $250 Legal Sea Foods gift card
- 3rd: $100 AMC Theatres gift card
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Mar 17: Listening Session for Parents in K-6 Religious Ed | |
This Sun, Mar 17, after the 10 am Mass, parents of all children in grades K-6 of our 2023-24 Family Religious Education Program are invited to join Susan Rutkowski for a discussion. What has worked well in FREP, the intergenerations programs, and the socials so far this year? What should be tweaked for next year? | |
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Parallels Between St. Paul and St. Patrick | | |
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Fr. Rick Walsh, our Associate Director, offers a short pastoral reflection on two Paulist patron saints with deep connections to Boston and the Paulist Center. | |
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Mar 20: Lenten Reconciliation & Reflection Service | | |
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We may be biased, but we think that our lay-led prayer services are among the best in the country! Join us in the chapel at 7 pm on Weds, Mar 20 for a lay-led service of reconciliation and reflection. It will conclude with the opportunity to make an individual confession with one of the Paulist or Franciscan priests who will be present. | |
Mar 24: Upcoming Opportunities to Gather As a Community | Now, more than ever, we should celebrate the beloved community we have here! Here are a few upcoming opportunities to gather: | |
Sun, Mar 24 after 10 am Mass: Community Coffee. Thanks to Kate, Jim, Daria, and Nancy for organizing it!
Sun, Mar 24 after 6 pm Mass: Community-Wide Potluck Dinner. If at all possible, RSVP here by Fri, Mar 22. Otherwise, bring a dish with you or help clean up!
Date TBD (later in spring): The Pastoral Council will be organizing an important All-Community Meeting. Please make every effort to attend as we begin visioning our future together!
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Join Us for Inspiring Liturgies Throughout Holy Week! | | |
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Dozens of volunteers have been preparing for many special celebrations during Holy Week. Please join us for as many as you can! (6 of the 9 services will be live streamed.)
Palm Sunday (March 23-24)
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Masses at 5 pm Sat, 10 am & 6 pm Sun
Holy Thursday (March 28)
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Mass at 7 pm, Adoration until 10 pm
Good Friday (March 29)
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Ecumenical "Seven Last Words" at 12 pm
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Commemoration of the Passion at 3 pm
Holy Saturday (March 30)
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Vigil of the Resurrection at 8 pm
Easter Sunday (March 31)
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March 28: Advocacy at the State House For Immigrants | |
March 28 is Immigrants' Day at the Massachusetts State House. Our Immigration Advocacy Group (IAG) invites you to join a contingent of Paulist Center Community members who will be at the State House 9 am - 1 pm Thurs, Mar 28 to advocate for 5 items on the state's legislative agenda. Read the bulletin for more information, fill out this form to join the IAG mailing list, and email IAG to find out how to join them on March 28. | |
Flowers: Easter Sunday (Mar 31) through Pentecost (May 19) | |
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Help us decorate with flowers for the entire Easter season in honor of family members or friends, living or deceased. Three ways to do so:
- Come to the receptionist's desk 10:30 am - 4:30 pm Mon-Fri
- Use the envelopes in the pews
- Select "Flowers" here, indicating "in honor of" or "in memory of" in the space provided
The suggested donation is $10 per tribute. Thank you!
All donations received by Tues, Apr 2 will be listed in the Apr 6-7 bulletin. All subsequent donations will be listed in the May 18-19 bulletin.
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We love to see you at our liturgies in person! If you can't get here this week for any reason, please join us on the livestream:
5th Sunday of Lent
(and 3rd Scrutiny)
10 am Sun, Mar 17
Lenten Reconciliation &
Reflection Service
7 pm Weds, Mar 20
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Remember: our livestreams are available in real time on our YouTube channel & available there afterwards as a recording. | |
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The most comprehensive listing of what's going on at the Paulist Center is in the bulletin. Check it out! Here's a summary of what else is in it:
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Our Racial Justice Advocacy Group (RJAG) will meet online Tues, Mar 19 at 7 pm. All welcome! Email Tom for the link.
- Info for young adults (ages 18-39) to serve at the Wednesday Night Supper Club on Weds, Mar 20 and/or to come to a Bible Study on Thurs, Mar 21.
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Deadline for purchasing specific hygiene products before our teens' upcoming Service Project on Sun, Mar 24.
- Info on the Baptism Preparation Classes we're holding in April, May, & June.
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Encouragement to sustain our vibrant liturgies and our mission of healing, reconciliation, & justice through your financial investment in the Paulist Center. We prefer that you donate electronically through our website, but you can also use Apple Pay or Google Pay to donate via DonorBox. Before using DonorBox, be sure to read the info in the bulletin.
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For updates, ongoing events, local events, and longer-range planning, here's additional information:
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The support group for Family & Friends of LGBTQIA Persons meets on Zoom at 2 pm Sun, Mar 17. Email Jay for the link.
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Around the community:
- St. Ignatius Parish (28 Commonwealth Ave, Chestnut Hill) hosts a Transgender Day of Visibility interfaith service at 6 pm Sat, Mar 16. A reception will follow. Please register through this flyer.
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"We shall rise again on the last day
with the faithful, rich and poor.
Coming to the house of Lord Jesus,
we will find an open door there,
we will find an open door."
- Jeremy Young's "We Shall Rise Again"
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Alvaro, Barbara, Dorothy, Gus, Norm, Patty, Rich, Rick, Rob, Sal, Susan, & Timmy | |
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